The Fall and Rise of Danny Williams
by dolphinrain
Summary: When one of the team is seriously injured, he will need his ohana to recover and cope. Bad at summaries! Danny whumping alert!
1. Chapter 1

HAWAII FIVE-O

THE FALL AND RISE OF DANNY WILLIAMS

(Disclaimer: I own nothing from Hawaii Five-O and am making no money from this story. I am writing because I simply enjoy it. This is my first Five-O story. If you read please leave a review. Constructive criticism welcome.)

Chapter One

This wasn't how a birthday was supposed to be. Birthdays were supposed to be cake and gifts, balloons and stories about all the dumb things one did the previous year. It was a celebration of friends and family, maybe a few drinks with a few friends and a denial of how old one actually was. They were overall supposed to be fun and noisy.

Birthdays weren't supposed to be the sound of machines monitoring everything from your temperature to pulse or breathing for you. There weren't supposed to be tubes and wires coming from all over your body.

Instead of a beer or soft drink, there were needles in his friend's arm, feeding him medication to fight infections, to keep his temperature normal, tubes disappearing under the blanket. Most vulgar was the bolt in his head monitoring his brain activity.

Spending a birthday sitting in an uncomfortable chair was not how Steve McGarrett had imagined spending today. He shifted in the chair trying to get comfortable. He ran a hand over his face as he leaned forward.

"They wouldn't let Grace in here," Steve said as he held up a hand drawn card. It was blue construction paper showing two stick figures smiling under a bunch of colorful balloons and palm trees. "But she made you this and wanted me to give it to you. You should see what a great picture she drew for you."

Steve set the card on the small table beside the bed. He set it so it would hopefully be the first thing his friend saw when he opened his eyes. The former Navy Seal sighed as he returned his gaze to the figure on the bed. He couldn't believe he was spending today of all days here.

But he'd been spending a good part of his time in this chair over the past two weeks. The hospital staff had gotten used to seeing him here. At first they'd been intimidated by his presence, glaring at them and watching everything they did as they came and went. As the days wore on they became used to him. He wasn't as scary as he liked to think he was.

Steve's cell phone buzzed and he glanced at it. Chin. He sighed as he realized he would be late. Reluctantly he stood to leave. He leaned over and touched his friend's hand, no longer shocked by its coolness.

"I gotta go, buddy," he said. "Someone still has to fight crime while you lounge here. But I'll be back as soon as I can."

Steve hesitated for a moment longer. But Danny Williams didn't move or answer him. He remained the same as he had for two weeks now.

"Happy birthday, Danno," Steve said then left.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Danny Williams was a happy man. He had just spent three whole days with Grace. He'd taken vacation while she had school break and would have her again in about three weeks for his birthday. The detective had already told Steve McGarrett crime-fighting would have to take a break that day because it was going to be just him and his daughter.

He had even been able to drive his own car to work today. The only downside to today was the stack of paperwork that would be waiting for him. Just as he was about to step out of his car his cell rang.

"Yeah, Steve," he answered. "Just pulled in. "He looked up to see Steve running down the steps toward him. He slid into the passenger seat on instinct as Steve reached him.

"Got a confirmed sighting of Joe Pepin," Steve said as he stepped on the gas. "Chin called saying he saw Pepin entering a construction site."

Pepin was wanted for a variety of charges on both the Mainland and in Hawaii. Armed robbery, assault, kidnapping and had recently made several threats to set bombs on the island. To put this man behind bars would be a huge win for the police.

"Sure as hell beats paperwork," Danny thought aloud as he grabbed hold of the dash.

"What?" Steve asked.

"Do you mind paying attention to the road?" Danny exclaimed. "I got to drive my car for three days and this morning you want to try to wreck it."

"I'm not going to wreck your car!" Steve shot back at him as he swerved to avoid a refuse truck.

They arrived at the construction site in what seemed to Danny record time. The building was going to be new apartments for low income families. Steve and Danny spotted several unmarked police units at the corner. They had stayed back until the area was secured and left Pepin little room for escape. Chin and another officer were positioned on a high rise nearby with binoculars trying to confirm the fugitive's position. An informant had told the Hawaiian native Pepin had arrived on the site less than twenty minutes ago. Most of the construction crew had not shown up yet, but a few had come to set up the day's jobs. One of the workers had spotted Pepin and told the man to leave. Pepin had already shot the man and tried to escape. Problem was the site was surrounded by high fences and a foreman had pulled a backhoe to block the entrance. Pepin was trapped.

"He could be anywhere," Danny said as he and Steve strapped on their vests and gear.

"We're going to have to go in," Steve said. He hated situations like this but there was no way they were going to let Pepin escape. "We split up, but no one goes alone. Keep radio contact to a minimum but stay in touch. Danny, you and I head for the top floor, but I want eyes on every floor to make sure this bastard doesn't slip through."

"Of course we head for the top," Danny said as he followed Steve inside. "If he's up there, we get shot at first."

"Of course," Steve grinned at him.

Slowly the search began. Several officers remained on the ground floor, and more on each floor as they headed up.

"Steve," Chin's voice came on the radio. "I've got movement on the North end, fifth floor. I can't get a clear shot but it matches Pepin's description."

"Thanks, Chin," Steve motioned to Danny and the officer with them to head for the North.

"What about using that crane thingy to get our guys higher up," Danny suggested. "That way we got officers coming from above and below."

Steve radioed to Duke outside. "Once in a while you have a good idea, Danno," he said.

"Once in a while? I always have good ideas. You're too full of yourself to realize it."

Steve motioned for caution as they reached the fifth level. Danny took a position on the left side of the stairs, Steve the right. Two other officers were right behind them.

"Steve, I've got a heat signal on the far North side," Chin spoke again. "It's not of our guys. But one worker is unaccounted for."

Steve could hear the crane from outside moving in. Then he heard footsteps from above. He looked over to Danny and motioned for them to move forward. Both moved forward simultaneously. They knew Pepin was cornered and the man would be desperate.

"Steve, he's on the move," Chin reported again. "I can't get a definite fix on him, but he's close to you."

Steve and Danny both separated slightly to try setting up a crossfire. The two uniforms with them would stay and block the stairs as the Five-0 moved forward. There were a number of support columns in the center of the floor, and a large open area where a shaft for an elevator sat. Most of the shaft was already in place as Danny stepped around it. Just as he did, he heard heavy footsteps just behind him and he turned toward the sound.

For a moment he saw Pepin's face snarling at him. He turned to swing his weapon at the man, but despite his large size, he was able to side step it.

"I'll take one more cop out with me if I have to!" Pepin screamed.

"Danny!" The detective heard Steve's voice as gunshots rang out.

Pepin staggered and leaped at Danny. Danny brought his gun up to fire as Pepin lashed out at him. The large man aimed his own gun at the detective, firing. Danny grunted as he stepped back. The vest prevented the bullet from penetrating but the closeness of the shot was forceful enough to make him take a step back. Pepin took advantage and jumped at him. Both men staggered toward the edge of the shaft.

"Danny!" Steve shouted as both Danny and Pepin fell into the shaft.

(Oh, my I have left a cliffhanger! I promise to update this as soon as I can!)

A/N: I'll have more up in a couple of days. Chapters 3 and 4 almost done. Have a Happy New Year everyone!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

For a split second Steve McGarrett was in shock. He had watched the struggle between Pepin and Danny. Pepin was like a desperate cage animal. The former Seal charged toward the elevator shaft yelling Danny's name. He slowed as he reached the edge to peer down the shaft. There was little light so one of the officers behind him handed over a flashlight. The beam of light shone down the five floors plus the basement. Six levels, Steve thought.

"Danny?" he called shining the light around. He saw the faint outline of two bodies. Neither was moving. "Chin, get the paramedics here _**NOW**_! Danny's down the elevator shaft. I'm heading down to the basement level. Get who ever's closest to get down there and open the doors."

Steve didn't remember the last time he ran down stairs so fast. He was trying to stay focused but he couldn't get the image of Danny falling over the edge out of his mind. If Pepin wasn't dead Steve would kill him without a second thought. He heard Chin radio that the paramedics would be there in about seven minutes. The foreman on the construction site was already on the first floor heading down to offer whatever help he could.

"Tell him to wait until we have Pepin incapacitated," Steve said as he reached the basement level. Power lines were already in place for the construction crew and the lights were turned on as the police entered.

Two uniformed officers were on the level just above to peer into the shaft to check on Danny and Pepin's position. They radioed no movement from either man. Steve was trying to quell the knot in his stomach as they approached the elevator shaft. The cabin of the elevator hadn't been installed yet; there was just a wooden platform used to lift equipment from floor to floor. But the walls were concrete. Pepin had somehow gotten his head wedged between the edge of the platform and the shaft wall. Steve didn't need to check if the man was dead.

Danny had somehow landed partially sprawled atop the much larger man. There was blood under his head. Steve pulled off his glove as he reached in. He held his breath for a moment. The pulse was weak and thready but it was there.

"He's alive!" he shouted into his radio. Steve was leery of moving him for fear of hurting more than he already was. But he leaned over his friend. "Danny?" he called although he didn't expect an answer.

As he leaned over, he was dismayed to see the wooden floor of the platform had shattered with the impact of the two full grown men. He saw the blood under Danny's head and blood on the wood.

Steve was vaguely aware as he heard the footsteps as the paramedics neared.

"Danny, don't you dare do this to Grace," he told his friend as he reluctantly moved aside.

"Sir, you're going to need to step back so we can get him out of here," paramedic R. Vaughn said. "Don't worry, we'll take good care of him."

Steve swept a hand over his face as he backed away, but he wasn't going far. He was sure he was making what Danny called aneurysm face. A moment later he heard Chin calling his name.

"Steve? How is he?" Chin asked, but by the look on the former Seal's face, he already knew.

"He's bad, Chin," Steve snapped. "How do think he is after falling five stories? He hit his head." Steve swiped a hand over his face. He couldn't believe this was happening.

After what seemed a ridiculously long time, the paramedics emerged from the building with a gurney. Steve could barely make out Danny's form beneath the amount of medical equipment. His head was in a brace as well as splints on his legs. There were already monitors hooked up to his open chest and a mask over his face. The faces of the paramedics were grim.

"How is he?" Steve asked as he followed them to the waiting ambulance.

Vaughn glanced briefly at him. "He's not good," was the answer. "We'll do whatever we can for him but it might be a good idea to alert his family." The man helped load the gurney into the ambulance and climbed in with it.

"I'll run ahead of you with a police escort," Steve said as the door slammed shut. He was already running for the Camaro parked a few yards away. "Take care of things, Chin."

(Okay, I know that's short but I promise to have more in a couple of days. I have almost no medical knowledge beyond Nyquil and Neosporin so please excuse any inaccuracies. Kono and Catherine will show up shortly. Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!)


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

(I'm so sorry for taking so long to post this chapter but I was struggling with this a little).

Steve was pacing the hallway outside of the double doors to the emergency room Danny had been rushed into. He had met a doctor with almost as formidable a personality as his own who refused to let him in. He tried to stay out of the way as personnel went in and out, and as other patients would be brought in. The image of Pepin knocking Danny into the shaft kept playing over and over in his mind. He was amazed that Danny was still even alive. There were rare occasions of people surviving falls from great heights. But he knew that Danny wasn't likely to wake up and run a marathon.

The only good thing today was he knew Rachel would be picking up Grace after school today. At the thought of Danny's daughter, Steve rubbed his hands over his face. How was he going to tell Grace her Danno was in the hospital? How could he tell her Uncle Steve couldn't have stopped this?

Steve looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. He saw Chin, Kono, and Catherine coming over to him. Catherine was quick to give him a hug just as he reached his arms around her.

"There's been no word yet," he said before anyone could ask.

"It hasn't been very long, has it?" Kono asked. There were tears in her eyes. She'd been off today when Chin had called to tell her about Danny. She was just getting ready to leave to head for the beach with her surfboard and had left in such a rush, she couldn't remember if she had locked the door. All Chin had said was to hurry and that Danny was in bad shape. The Hawaiian had called Catherine as she climbed into her car. Both women had undoubtedly broken nearly every traffic law to arrive at the hospital in record time.

Catherine was focused on Steve. She could see him struggling to stay calm. He tried to project an image of being completely in control at all times. But right now, he looked ready to fall apart. He was angry, impatient and worried all at once. The man was trying to be strong but right now, but for the moment he held onto her. She also knew what he was probably thinking.

"Steve, this isn't your fault," she told him. "Chin told me what happened. It was a bad situation from the start."

Steve looked at her. He was trying to believe her words, trying to convince himself. But he couldn't help it. He was the leader of this unit and ultimately the responsibility was his.

"I heard him scream," Steve told her. "I've heard him rant and cuss. Talk so much he makes me dizzy but I never heard him like that. God, Catherine, I don't think I'll ever stop hearing that."

Before Catherine could respond to that, they heard the sound of the doors being opened and a middle aged doctor came out. He had brown graying hair and dark eyes. His eyes searched the hallway.

"Family for Daniel Williams?" He said.

"It's Danny," Steve corrected the man. "I'm his boss and am listed as his contact. Steve McGarrett."

"I'm Dr. Eric Sloane," the man shook Steve's hand. "I won't beat around the bush. Danny's condition is very serious. He must have tried to correct his fall and initially landed on his feet. That is the only explanation I can offer for his even surviving that height. He has compound fractures in both legs as well as a dislocated right hip. Our main concern is the head injury. There is a skull fracture, but as to what damage to his brain, I can't be certain at this point. Cat scans will give us more detail. I will have someone let you know as soon as possible. Does he have any family you can contact?"

"He has an ex-wife and a 10 year old daughter," Steve said. "His parents and younger brother are in New Jersey."

"Right now, I'll be honest, I won't give you percentages on his chances of survival because right now I don't know. But I can tell you the next few hours are critical. If he survives he will have a long road ahead of him". Dr. Sloane sighed as he watched the mixed emotions playing across everyone's faces. "I would suggest if anyone believes in a god that you pray. I'm sorry."

With that Dr. Sloane left the stunned group. Kono was hugging Chin as the tears fell. Catherine took Steve's hand in hers as he just stared after the doctor. For a moment Steve just stood, his hands clenching in fists, then suddenly he lashed out to punch a nearby wall. After that he stormed off toward the exit.

(Okay, I again apologize for the delay in getting this posted but here it is. Again please excuse any medical inaccuracies. I promise to again have more up in a few days. Thanks for all the reviews and views. I'll do my best to not disappoint.)


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Catherine hurried to follow Steve outside while Chin and Kono found seats in the waiting area. Chin went to call the governor to inform him of their situation. The governor told Five-O to stand down temporarily unless there was a dire need of them. There would be no repercussions for the death of Joe Pepin.

Steve had stormed out of the emergency room after listening to Dr. Sloane. He was in a state of shock. Only a short while ago Danny was yelling at him not to wreck the Camaro. Now he didn't even know if his friend was going to live through the day or night. In his mind he was trying to recall every statistic about people surviving from falls. He'd seen rare occasions himself while still in the Navy Seals. Even when people did survive, they rarely came out unchanged. If Danny did live, Steve wondered what kind of injuries the detective would have to live with. Would he even be able to continue being a detective? Then there was Grace to consider. The courts had recently refused to let Rachel take their daughter permanently off the islands. How would this affect that decision? Steve would do everything he could to help keep Grace here.

"Steve?"

Steve was startled by the sound of Catherine's voice and a gentle hand on his shoulder. He focused on her beautiful face. For a moment he just stared at her. He wasn't going to break down now.

"Look at me," Catherine said gently taking his face in her hands. "Right now you need to focus on that Danny's alive."

"I can't stop, Catherine," Steve replied pulling away from her. "I can't help it. I keep thinking they're going to probably drill holes in his head. What happens after today? I want to go in there and just shake him so he starts yelling at me. He didn't even get to tell me everything about Grace over the past few days. Catherine, his birthday's in two weeks. He's supposed to be spending it with her."

"One day at a time, Steve," she shook her head.

Steve swiped a hand over her face. "I have to tell Rachel and Grace." He hesitated. "No, I'll wait until I hear more from the scans they want to do."

"That's a better idea. Come on. At least let me buy you a cup of coffee."

He just nodded. Then he followed her back inside. This was going to be a long day.

Dr. Eric Sloane looked over the results of Danny's x-rays. He frowned as he saw the shadow indicating there was bleeding. The detective was definitely not having a good day.

(Okay, I hope this next chapter goes better. I'm sorry this was so short. Next chapter will be up when I can get back on the computer and if family will leave me alone to work on this.)


	6. Chapter 6

(Just slight warning of a few bad words. Sorry for the delay in getting this up but here goes nothing. Thanks so much for all the response to this story.)

Chapter 6

Grace was out of her mother's car and headed for the kitchen. She turned on her favorite music channel then searched for a snack. After deciding on celery with peanut butter and fruit punch, she sat in front of the tv to listen to the songs. She had homework, but she always did better with music and after a snack. At least that's what she told her mother. The music was paused for a news break. Frowning, she was about to change the channel when the news camera focused for a moment on a construction site. The girl's eyes widened when she spotted a familiar looking Camaro.

"Mom!" she shouted excitedly.

Rachel came over and turned the volume up. "An early morning standoff with police has led to the apparent suicide by cop of the suspect. We have reports from construction workers who were witnesses to the scene that one officer has been sent to the hospital in serious condition. We have yet to release his identity pending notification of his family."

Grace was on her feet with tears in her eyes. "Mom, please, call Uncle Steve. That's Danno's car."

Rachel was already on her phone.

Chin and Kono were in the waiting room when Dr. Sloane approached them. Both nearly jumped to their feet as he did.

"Is Commander McGarrett still here?" the doctor asked.

"He's getting a cup of coffee," Kono answered him. "But you can tell us anything as well."

"We are on Danny's lists of contacts," Chin added.

"Alright then. After reviewing the x-rays, there is a depressed fracture to Danny's skull which will need surgery to correct and there is bleeding in his brain. We're going to need to insert a catheter to relieve any buildup in pressure along with a bolt to monitor the activity. His breathing has become shallow and irregular so we may need to put him on a vent to help with that. The broken bones in his legs and hip will be set and treated once the catheter has been installed. After this, it'll be a matter of wait and see. I can't tell you how long he'll be unconscious or how he'll respond whenever he wakes up. Either myself or a nurse will come and let you know when he's been moved to recovery."

"Thank you, doctor," Chin replied.

"Has his family been informed yet?"

"We were waiting to hear the results of the x-rays and just exactly what the extent of his injuries were."

The doctor nodded and left the pair to go prepare for Danny's upcoming surgery.

Shortly after he left, Steve and Catherine returned. The Five-O commander was visibly calmer than he had been. He was still struggling with his guilt and frustration with the whole situation and fighting to remain calm. A few minutes ago, he'd gotten the call from Rachel and had spoken to a very upset Grace. He tried to reassure the girl that her Danno was holding on. Steve didn't want to lie to the girl or give her false hope but he felt it was true that Danny would be a fighter and do his best not to leave Grace. That much he knew was true.

Chin told Steve what the doctor had said.

"Wait and see," Kono echoed the doctor's words.

The next few hours seemed to crawl by. Steve tried to read the outdated hunting magazines he found but he kept looking at either the clock on the wall or his watch. Chin and Kono had headed back to the office to fill out the necessary paperwork to close the Pepin case. They would also take care of any arrangements needed for Danny's insurance as well as contact the detective's parents. They informed him Danny's Dad was fighting a flu infection and the weather had the airports shut down.

Rachel brought Grace into the hospital when the girl wouldn't calm down. As soon as she saw her Uncle Steve she rushed into his arms. He just held her close to him and told her they would help each other to be strong.

When Steve looked up he finally saw Dr. Sloane heading in his direction.

"Hey, Grace, I'll bet you're hungry," he said smiling at her and brushing the new batch of tears from her cheek. "Why don't you go with Catherine here to grab something to eat?"

"But I don't want to," Grace said.

"Hey, do think Danno would want you to skip your dinner?" Catherine smiled at her. "There's a McDonald's just down the street from here. How about I take you there?"

Grace nodded and slowly followed her out. Dr. Sloane had stayed back a few steps until the child had left.

"Is that his daughter?" he asked. "Cute kid." He returned his focus onto Steve and sighed. The man looked tired. "He's made it through the surgery. He did stop breathing at one point but we were able to get him back. We've had to shave his head to relieve the pressure and to insert the bolt. Currently he is in a coma."

"When can I see him?" Steve asked.

"He's being moved to recovery as we speak. Once he's settled I can have someone come for you. It should be within the hour."

Forty-five minutes later, Steve was being ushered into the ICU. He thought he was ready. He had seen Danny in the hospital before due to the Sarin attack as well as a variety of injuries over the past few years and he thought he knew what to expect. But when he finally went in, he was in shock.

Steve almost didn't recognize the detective. His head was wrapped in white bandages, his hair completely shaved. He didn't look like Danny; he looked swollen and bruised with the bolt sticking out from the top of his head. There were tubes and wires everywhere and Steve couldn't tell what was what. He was covered in a blanket to his chest, but Steve could make out the splints still on the legs.

Slowly, Steve approached the bed. For an insane moment, he was almost glad Danny couldn't look at himself in a mirror. He was going to be really pissed about his hair!

"Hey, Danno," Steve finally spoke, reaching out to put his hand on Danny's cold fingers. "You really did a number on yourself this time. You know, only Superman can fly. "His eyes again went to the bolt. "And with that bolt you look like a turkey ready for the oven." He sighed then he became serious. "You need to listen to me, you New Jersey ass, you need to pull through this. As hard as it may be for you to believe, I can't do this job myself. Yes, there, I admit it so now you can wake up and say you told me so. But, Danny, you need to fight. Grace needs you and is counting on you. We all are."

A nurse informed Steve that his time was up. He acknowledged her and leaned in as close as he could.

"And I need my best friend," Steve said.

(Next chapter hopefully up in a few days. Thanks again for the response to this and once again, if you read please leave a review. Thank you so much!)


	7. Chapter 7

(Apologies again for the delay. Real life keeps getting in the way! But here's the next chapter.)

Chapter 7

In the days that followed Steve began his vigil. He spent every moment he could in a chair by Danny's bed. The detective's legs had been set and placed in casts, pins placed in his hip and kept immobile. They tried taking him off the ventilator but when his breathing had become shallow he was placed back on the machine. Danny remained in the coma. He was being fed a variety of medications to help fight against infections, prevent seizures and help reduce swelling in his brain. Dr. Sloane was unable to give Steve a satisfactory answer as to how much damage had been done. His temperature, blood pressure and oxygen levels were all carefully monitored.

Steve and the rest of the Five-O took turns sitting with Danny. They would talk to him, update him on the news. Kamekona even stopped by. He promised during the time Danny was in the hospital Grace could have all the free shaved ice she wanted and as soon as the detective was able to he would make another 'tunie fish' for Danny anyway he wanted it.

Grace was not allowed into the ICU which infuriated the girl. She sent requests out through her friends list for everyone to pray for her Danno. The models she had met several months before somehow heard about her and promised to text the girl every chance they could to check in with her.

For the better part of two weeks, Steve sat by Danny's bed. He would put the tv on, flipping through the channels but without really watching. The morning after Danny's birthday, the vent was finally replaced with just an oxygen mask. The bolt in his head was showing slow improvements. Dr. Sloane said Danny was possibly becoming more aware. He tried to be encouraging but realistic. But Danny had yet to really wake up.

Two days after Danny's birthday, Steve got an excited call from Dr. Sloane. He needed to hurry into the hospital. Danny was waking up.

(I know this chapter was really short but, I thought that was a good place to stop for now. More angst and drama to come soon.)


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Steve swung his truck onto the hospital parking lot. He ignored the one way sign as he swung into a space as close to the entrance as he could. The elderly woman he cut off flipped him off as she now had to resume her search for another space. Steve felt only slightly sorry for the woman, but he had more important things to worry about.

He hurried down the hall toward Danny's room and was stopped by a nurse just before he could enter.

"Move, lady," Steve warned her.

"I just need to let Dr. Sloane know you're here," she told him. "Just one moment."

Dr. Sloane came out and held a hand up for Steve to wait.

"He is waking up," the doctor explained. "But, you need to prepare yourself as we try to gauge his responses; I just need you to be prepared if things don't go as well as you hope. He may not be able to fully respond to you. He may not even be fully aware. We just need to watch him closely."

Steve nodded as he was finally allowed inside. He slowly approached the bed. He was relieved to see the oxygen mask had been replaced by a nasal cannula. The head of the bed had been raised slightly. His eyes went to the monitor measuring Danny's brain activity and saw the high rating.

"Danny?" he called softly, taking one of Danny's hands in his own. "Come on, it's time for you to stop lounging around. Open your eyes. Or do something to just let me know you can hear me."

Steve kept up the talking and could see twitching under the eyelids. He nearly let out a whoop of joy when he felt slight pressure on his hand.

"That's it. Come on, please, open your eyes. I want to tell Grace her Danno is fighting finally."

The grip on his hand grew a little stronger and Steve glanced at it. When he looked back to Danny's face, he was startled to finally see a glimpse of blue. The former Navy Seal, couldn't stop the moisture building in his own eyes.

"Danny," he breathed.

Danny's eyes were unfocused and almost dull. He just kept staring.

"Come on, you New Jersey ass," Steve said, "You have to give me more. "

But Danny didn't respond. He stared a moment longer before his eyes slide shut again. His grip grew slack once more as he slid back to sleep. Steve was disappointed but he had been warned. But he took up his seat beside Danny once more.

"You did great, buddy," he told his friend. "You did really great."

Steve had known Danny wasn't just going to wake up and start running a marathon. This wasn't science fiction where the doctor just stuck a needle in you and instantly healed you. But Danny had heard him and for a moment he had rejoined the world. It was a huge step as far as Steve was concerned and for the first time since the fall, Steve felt a glimmer of hope.

(Yay, Danny's finally awake! I will try to have more up as soon as possible. I'm not sure how much longer this will be but there is more to come. Thanks again for such a huge response! Please if you read leave a review. I love to see them! )

A/N: I would have had this up sooner but I couldn't get into manage stories. Darn technology!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Dr. Sloane finally relented. Steve kept asking to allow Grace into see Danny. The child was begging to be able to see her father and was on the verge of becoming depressed. She smiled from ear to ear when Steve told her she could finally go in. It would only be for a few minutes but she was just glad for that.

Grace quickly drew another picture for Danny then followed Steve into the room. She began to cry when she saw him. The girl carefully put her head to his chest to feel his heartbeat then she carefully reached up to kiss his cheek. She was as careful as she could be, mindful of his injuries.

"Danno, please, wake up," she whispered to him. "You missed the cake for your birthday. I had Mom save three pieces for us in the freezer so when you wake up you can have some with me and Uncle Steve. It's chocolate with peanut butter frosting." She began to cry again as she put her small hand on his. "Danno?"

For a moment she just reveled in hearing his heart beating, and feeling his warmth. Steve lightly touched her shoulder as it was time to go. She looked up at him and nodded.

"I love you, Danno," she said and turned to leave. But she couldn't pull her hand free. When she looked, she realized his fingers were gripped around hers. She looked into his face and saw the glimmer of his eyes. "Danno." She smiled at him.

He didn't say anything but continued to hold her hand. Steve went to the door where Dr. Sloane was waiting. The doctor was smiling as well.

"Don't worry," he told Steve. "There's no way I'm chasing her out now."

"Thanks," Steve replied. He swiped a hand over his own face.


	10. Chapter 10

(Warning for a few swear words in this one.)

Chapter 10

After her initial visit, Grace was allowed to stay more often with Danny. The visits were usually short and Danny didn't always respond. But Grace was just glad to be with him. Despite the initial progress, Danny didn't really respond to anyone. He would open his eyes but they still wouldn't focus and he had yet to make a sound. There were moments he would weakly grip someone's hand but that was the only response he made.

Steve was trying to be patient but he wasn't usually very good at it. Chin, Kono and Catherine spent as much time with the detective as they could but they were having little luck with Danny as well. Dr. Sloane insisted this was normal and not unexpected. He kept telling them, the detective needed time. Danny was in what the doctor called a minimally conscious state. He was aware but unable to make more than small responses. The hardest thing about the entire situation was Danny's silence.

Danny was anything _**but**_ a quiet person. He was loud and constantly going off on a tangent, ranting about a variety of things. He was constantly moving and he had a temper. Usually he kept it in check, but the rare times he let loose it was like watching a volcano explode. He was never shy about sharing his opinion.

This staring silence was something Steve didn't know if he could get used to. He tried to read anything he could about people surviving head injuries and comas. But he got lost in the medical babble and gave up. He knew it was a miracle in itself that Danny had even survived the fall, let alone now somewhat awake.

Steve tried going back to work. He still had a job to do but he found himself distracted and unfocused. When Five-O was called in to assist with a murder, Steve lost his temper with the suspect. Chin and Duke from the local HPD had to pull him off the man. He left the scene in Danny's Camaro. Without thinking, Steve stepped on the gas. He had no idea where he was going; he just needed time alone.

By the time, Steve returned to the hospital he was much calmer. He took up his seat beside Danny and turned on the tv. Loud rock music began playing. Steve rolled his eyes. Grace must have been here. He was about to change the channel when a classic Bon Jovi video came on.

"I really don't get what you see in this stuff," Steve shook his head. "The guy's got longer hair than a sheepdog. If you have brain damage it's not from the fall, it's from listening to this garbage. I like rock, too, but this guy's just too off the wall for me."

Finally the song was over and Steve changed the channel to find something else. Finally he settled on a Die Hard movie. A nurse came into check on Danny's vitals. Shortly after that an aide came in with a basin of steaming water and towels.

"Be careful, that water's hot," the nurse said. "Better add a little cold water to cool it down."

"It's fine," the aide said as she turned down the front of Danny's gown to start washing him.

Steve wasn't paying attention at first. He had turned away as the aide began her task of cleaning Danny. But when he looked back, he looked into Danny's face. His eyes grew wide when he saw the tears and he pushed the aide aside.

"What are you doing?" she said indignantly.

"Danny?" Steve ignored the young woman. "Danny?"

Slowly Danny's eyes looked over at him. He made a whimpering sound and blinked at him. Steve looked at the monitors but only the heart rate was up slightly. He looked to the aide and then down at several red spots on Danny's skin.

"What the hell are you doing, lady?" he exclaimed at her. "Look what you did to him!"

The aide took a step back from the glaring man. "I was just doing my job," she stammered.

"Get the hell away from him!"

Dr. Sloane came into the room, alerted by the loud voices. "What's going on in here?"

"I was just giving him a wash," the aide said. "When he pushed me."

Steve was furious. "I pushed this bitch after she burned him," he exclaimed pointing to the red skin. "I don't want her on the same floor with Danny. Get her out of here before I have her arrested for negligence!"

Dr. Sloane told the aide to leave the room and wait for him in his office. The aide stared a moment before she turned on her heel and left in a huff. Steve had already gotten another towel from the sink and wet it. He was gently dabbing the cooler cloth to the red skin.

"I'm sorry about that, Steve," the doctor said as he quickly examined the red skin. "It may not seem like much, but it's not a serious burn. Painful but not serious."

"How could she have been so stupid," Steve asked, glaring at him. "How could someone so incompetent be allowed in here?"

"I promise she'll be reprimanded and given more training before she's allowed to assist another patient."

"Reprimanded for hurting a man who can't even tell you it hurts? What would have happened if I hadn't been here? What are you going to do? Smack her fingers and say don't do it again? I want her fired."

"Steve, it'll be handled," Dr. Sloane said. "Right now, you need to calm down and focus on Danny."

"Uncle Steve?" Grace's voice made the former Navy Seal nearly jump.

The child stood in the doorway with Kono. "Kono just took me to get something to eat," she said as she hugged him. "Why are you yelling? What's wrong with Danno?"

"He's fine, sweetheart," Steve said, forcing a smile. "Here, why don't you sit with him for a little bit. I'm going to head home for a few hours. Take care of her, Kono." As he passed the doctor on his way out, he glared at the man for a moment then left.

(Okay, I'm going to stop there for now. Hope you liked it. Next chapter, I promise Danny gets a little better. Thanks again for all the response to this. Thanks so much for all the reviews. Again, if you read, please leave a review.)


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

As days passed, Danny became more and more alert. He stayed awake longer and was able to respond to simple questions with either blinks or squeezes with his hand. He was making sounds as he tried to speak. The broken bones were healing well and most of his medications had been reduced to help him achieve more awareness.

Grace was sitting with Steve beside the bed. She wanted to watch the Disney channel while Steve was trying to convince her to watch a movie with him. Finally, he gave in when she said please. He smiled because he couldn't resist when she spoke so sweetly. It was some show with a talking dog and goofy parents. He sighed as he opened up the newspaper he'd brought with him.

"East coast is getting hit with some bad snow storms," he commented. He'd been doing this every time he came. Finding stories, articles about almost anything and reading them aloud. "Snow, ice. You name it."

"Sssuuuckss."

Steve stopped reading. He looked over to Grace and saw she was staring at Danny. When he looked into Danny's face he saw the detective staring back at him.

"Gr…Gra," he was trying to speak!

Grace moved closer to the bed, almost afraid she had not heard the husky voice.

"Mmm…monk..ey," he said finally as he looked at her.

Steve could barely contain his excitement as he headed to the door to get the doctor. When he turned back, he saw Grace laying her head carefully against his chin, her arms were around him. Danny looked up at Steve as he approached the bed.

Steve couldn't keep the grin off his face when Danny blinked at him. "It's about time, you New Jersey refugee."

(Okay, yes, another short one, but more to come soon.)


	12. Chapter 12

(warning for a few bad words.)

Chapter 12

Danny was slowly improving. He was saying a few words and he was moving slightly. But he was not able to yet make full sentences and he seemed to have trouble with his left hand. He couldn't make a fist or grip anything with it. He had no memory of the fall and at times it seemed his own memories were jumbled. He would fall asleep suddenly and at times he would stare vacantly when someone was talking to him.

The first time they tried getting him out of the bed and into a wheelchair, he suddenly flipped out on them. He started cursing at them and tried to pull away. Finally, as a last resort, he was sedated.

The second time Steve was present. He tried talking to Danny but as the orderlies tried to lift him, Danny again cursed at them. He tried to make a fist with his right hand and even took a weak swing at Steve.

"Danny, stop it!" Steve grabbed hold of the hand and held onto it. "Danno, calm down before you hurt yourself."

But Danny wasn't listening. He swore at Steve. When Dr. Sloane moved in to again sedate the detective, Steve glared at him.

"That won't help," Steve told him.

"We have to or he will hurt himself," the doctor said in just as firm a tone. "It's either this or we may need to restrain him."

"Danny, please," Steve tried again. "Come on, stop being a pigheaded New Jersey ass! Right now you're showing me what a stubborn ass you are. What would Grace think if she saw you like this?"

"Nnnoo!" Danny yelled at him. "Grace?"

"Yes, Grace would be upset to see her Danno carrying on so much."  
It took more coaxing but finally Danny calmed down. He lay back in the bed, a mix of emotions playing across his face. He looked up at Steve.

"Help me," he said in a small voice. There were tears in his eyes. "I'm not me."

Steve sat in the chair beside the bed. "I'm trying to help you, buddy, but you have to calm down. I can't imagine what it's like for you right now. But I'll help you as much as I can. You just have to keep fighting. The Danny Williams I know is a fighter. Come on, show me how tough you New Jersey refugees are."

Danny blinked at him for a moment. "Ass," he said.

(Another shortie but I'll update again soon.)


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The days seemed to crawl along. Steve was constantly running back and forth between the office and the hospital. Chin, Kono, and Catherine were taking turns with Danny whenever they could. The progress he was making was slow. He still had no memory of the fall and his hand was not improving. He was finally sitting in a wheelchair but he was clearly becoming depressed. His body wouldn't do what he wanted it to and he couldn't think straight half the time. He had to pause at times to remember who was talking to him. His legs and hip were healing well but he needed the wheelchair until he could regain strength in his body from the long inactivity. At times, Danny was impatient and angry. He was bored and trying to come to terms with his current condition. He wasn't used to so much inactivity. Danny wanted to get up and start running, or take a walk with Grace. Even sitting on the beach would be better than this.

Danny complained constantly, his temper flaring more than ever. He snapped at nearly everyone. Except for Grace. She would come after school and on the weekends and just sit with him. She told him everything that was happening at school and with her mother. They would sometimes sit and share his lunch or dinner. They would watch the music channels or movies that she picked. He didn't even complain when she watched some show with a talking dog and goofy parents. He tried to not let her see how frustrated he was that he couldn't even really hug her. It was hard at times to stay focused , but she never complained or seemed to notice.

One afternoon, Steve dropped by with a bag of cocoa puffs. As he neared the door, he heard a loud crashing sound from in the room and hurried in. He found a tray of food on the floor and the stand on its side.

"What happened, buddy?" Steve asked as he set the bag on another shelf then stooped to pick up the tray.

"Just l..let it," Danny told him.

"You know if you didn't like your lunch, you could have just asked for something else."  
"Doesn't matter. It's all lousy anyway."

"Danny?" Steve looked at his friend. "What's going on, buddy?"

"I can't keep this up," the detective replied, laying back in the bed. "I can't keep going like this. I…I can't walk with Grace or even hold her. I want to get out of here, St…Steve. Damn it, I sound like an idiot."

"You've been doing so great, Danny."

"Not enough. I don't want to be this way..an..anym…anymore. Hell, I can't even talk."

"Danny, you know, there have been times I wished you would shut up but right now, I love hearing anything from you. Honestly, I'm just thankful you are still here. God, Danny, when you fell down that shaft, I really thought I'd lost my best friend. Damn it, you took twenty years off my life! If you think, you're going to give up, I'm going to tell you, if you thought I've been an ass so far, you haven't seen anything yet. You don't have the right to give up. You can't do that to yourself or me or especially to Grace! Don't you even think about it!"

Steve was yelling now. He didn't care who heard him. Danny stared at him for a few minutes.

"You know, you're making an..anrys m, " Danny said.

"What?"

"Anrysm."

Both men stared at each other for a few moments before they started laughing.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Danny was finally leaving the hospital. The bolt had long been removed although his head was still bandaged. He still needed the use of a wheelchair but his broken legs were well on their way to being healed. During the past few weeks he had been making more improvements. He still had no memory of the fall and Dr. Sloane doubted if he ever would. But his speech was nearly back to normal although sometimes he would have to stop to think about what he wanted to say. The main drawback was the lack of improvement in his left hand despite the therapy he was receiving for it. He still couldn't close it properly nor grasp anything in it. But Danny seemed to mind it less than he had before.

The detective told Steve to stay back as he climbed into the wheelchair. Steve and Catherine had shown up to pick him up. He would be coming to stay with Steve for as long as he needed. Despite his complaining and attempt to object, Danny was actually glad he wouldn't be alone. He had known he probably wouldn't be.

Steve had kept his promise about being an ass over the past few weeks. At times Danny seemed to lose his temper for no reason. He would suddenly try to hit Steve or throw things at him. Dr. Sloane warned Steve that this could be more than just Danny being frustrated. If the personality swings didn't stop, Danny could be put on medications to help control it. But through all of it, Steve had been more patient and helpful than Danny had thought.

Danny managed to pull himself into the chair and watched as his friends packed up his remaining things, changes of clothes as well as all the cards, flowers and balloons well-wishers had sent. The detective had truly been touched by the sheer amount. Duke and the HPD had sent a basket, even Rachel and Stan had sent a card and flowers. The models who had befriended Grace had sent baskets for both himself and one to Grace. They promised the next time they had a show on the island both would have complete access behind stage and had even sent him an autographed calendar for the next year. His parents had been unable to get out to the islands, mainly due to bad weather and his father's own failing health but they had sent cards and phoned every day.

Danny's favorite gift was the birthday card Grace had made for him while he was still in the coma. He had kept that one beside his bed the entire time he'd been here. He almost couldn't believe he was leaving. At times he didn't think this would ever come.

"Ready to go?" Steve came back in after taking the last of Danny's things out to his truck.

"The faster the..the better," Danny said as Catherine got behind the chair and began to push him toward the door. The release papers had already been signed and Dr. Sloane had given him instructions for them all to follow to help continue with Danny's care at home.

"I'm glad to see this view of you, Detective," Dr. Sloane said as the small group moved past him. "I don't want to see you back here again."

"You smell like rotten fish, too, doc," Danny replied.

(Okay, one or two more chapters and I'll be wrapping this up. As you can see, Danny is doing much better. Hope you've all enjoyed the ride along. It's been great!)

Just a note, the line about the rotten fish was what my Grandpop would say whenever we had a long visit and he wanted his television back. He would say "I smell fish, Ginny. The fish has gone bad." Time for hugs and to go home. :-)


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Grace looked up at Steve with a grin on her face. She had been planning today for weeks and wanted everything to be just perfect. She had asked Steve to help decorate the house with blue, yellow and green streamers. There were balloons everywhere and on the dining table were three place settings with colorful plates and napkins.

"Come on," Danny's voice yelled from the next room. "Hurry it up, will you."

"Do not take off the blindfold," Grace yelled back with a giggle." We're coming out now."

"Ready?" Steve looked down at the girl.

She nodded vigorously as they headed out into the dining room.

"Okay, Danno, you can take off the blindfold," Grace said.

When Danny took off the soft material covering his eyes, his grin nearly matched Grace's. On a plate were three slices of chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. On each piece was a lit candle. Steve came over to Danny and carefully set a silver and blue hat on his head.

Together Steve and Grace began singing 'Happy Birthday'. There were unshed tears in Danny's eyes by the time the tune was over.

"You missed your last birthday, Danno," Grace explained as she held the plate in front of him. "But I had Mom save some of the cake for when you were better. But then I thought I'd keep it for your next birthday so you didn't completely miss it."

"Thank you, monkey," Danny said.

"You know you have to blow it out and make a wish," Steve said.

Danny hesitated for a moment before blowing out the three candles. Grace and Steve both clapped as the girl set the plate down on the table.

Steve watched as Grace set a piece of cake at each setting. She'd already brought out a pitcher of iced lemon tea. He watched the exchange as Danny hugged Grace to him when she set the cake in front of him. This past year had been one of the hardest Steve could remember in a long time. A year ago Steve almost couldn't have imagined. One year ago Steve had been sitting in a hospital chair clinging to the slim hope that his friend was still alive. He still woke up at times hearing Danny scream and saw him fall into the shaft. But that was being replaced more and more with the current image. Danny was walking with a cane. He had been put on medications to help with his mood swings. He still had trouble using his left hand but he was learning to compensate. He had been back to work in a limited capacity but was itching to be back full time.

There were moments this past year, Steve had wanted to walk away. But he would never leave a member of his ohana. His own mother had, his father had been murdered, and had only recently become reacquainted with his sister Mary. Danny may not be blood family but he was just as much ohana. He had watched his friend struggle to get his life back. He had kept his word about being an ass at times. Steve had found himself praying more in the past year than most of his adult life. He wasn't sure what he really believed but he did know it was nothing but a miracle that Danny was still here.

Steve watched as Grace hugged her Danno and he returned the hug. This image of Danny holding his child and smiling Steve was going to keep. He didn't need to make a wish, he had his ohana brother again.

"Happy birthday, Danny," he said aloud as he sat down.

"Hey, thanks, man," Danny smiled back at him. "I already got my wish. I've got my life back."

(Okay, that is the end of this story. I have really been amazed and grateful at the response to this story and I thank everyone for reading.)

A/N: I did ask my mom who is a baker, and yes, cake can be kept safely in a freezer for a year.

Thanks again everybody.


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